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BMC Cardiovascular Disorders
Published in: BMC Cardiovascular Disorders 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research article

The ratio of serum n-3 to n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids is associated with diabetes mellitus in patients with prior myocardial infarction: a multicenter cross-sectional study

Authors: Masao Takahashi, Jiro Ando, Kazunori Shimada, Yuji Nishizaki, Shigemasa Tani, Takayuki Ogawa, Masato Yamamoto, Ken Nagao, Atsushi Hirayama, Michihiro Yoshimura, Hiroyuki Daida, Ryozo Nagai, Issei Komuro

Published in: BMC Cardiovascular Disorders | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

In prior myocardial infarction (PMI) patients, diabetes mellitus (DM), dyslipidemia, and hypertension increase the risk of secondary cardiovascular events. Although a decreased ratio of serum eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) to arachidonic acid (AA; EPA/AA) has been shown to significantly correlate with the onset of acute coronary syndrome, the associations between polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels and coronary risk factors in PMI patients have not been evaluated thoroughly. This study aimed to assess the associations between PUFAs levels and the risk factors in PMI patients.

Methods

We enrolled 1733 patients with known PUFA levels who were treated in five divisions of cardiology in a metropolitan area of Japan, including 303 patients with PMI. EPA/AA and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to AA level ratio (DHA/AA) in patients with and without PMI were analyzed according to presence of coronary risk factors.

Results

Diabetes patients with PMI had significantly lower EPA/AA and DHA/AA than diabetes patients without PMI (EPA/AA: P <0.01; DHA/AA: P =0.003), with no such differences in dyslipidemia and hypertension patients. In DM patients with high high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels (>0.1 mg/dL), EPA/AA was low in individuals who also had PMI, whereas DHA/AA was not (EPA/AA, with PMI: 0.43 ± 0.24; without PMI: 0.53 ± 0.30, P < 0.05). Moreover, patients on statins had significantly lower DHA/AA ratios, whereas the EPA/AA ratio did not depend on statin use. Multiple regression analysis revealed that statin use in DM patients was associated with low DHA/AA but not EPA/AA.

Conclusion

PMI patients with DM have low EPA/AA and DHA/AA. EPA/AA and DHA/AA are differently related to hs-CRP level in DM patients with PMI. Statin use can potentially affect DHA/AA but not EPA/AA, and therefore EPA/AA ratio is a better marker of assessment for cardiovascular events.
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Metadata
Title
The ratio of serum n-3 to n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids is associated with diabetes mellitus in patients with prior myocardial infarction: a multicenter cross-sectional study
Authors
Masao Takahashi
Jiro Ando
Kazunori Shimada
Yuji Nishizaki
Shigemasa Tani
Takayuki Ogawa
Masato Yamamoto
Ken Nagao
Atsushi Hirayama
Michihiro Yoshimura
Hiroyuki Daida
Ryozo Nagai
Issei Komuro
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Cardiovascular Disorders / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2261
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12872-017-0479-4

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